Adatia Wins John J. Sharry Research Competition

Dr. Nimet Adatia (pictured left) and Dr. Christina Karamini are among the three finalists for the 2006 John J. Sharry Prosthodontic Research Competition.

Dr. Nimet Adatia, a graduate prosthodontic student at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, has won the 2006 John J. Sharry Prosthodontic Research Competition.

Sponsored by the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation, the competition is designed to stimulate and acknowledge original student research in prosthodontics.

Adatia, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Dr. Christina Karamini, of Athens, Greece, both graduate prosthodontic students at the School of Dentistry, were among the three finalists for the 2006 competition. The three finalists submitted abstracts and manuscripts to reach the competition finals, which were held at the American College of Prosthodontists’ annual session earlier this month (November) in Miami.

Their research is part of the School of Dentistry Graduate Prosthodontics Program’s education program, which focuses on intensive clinical activity and a strong independent research experience.

Adatia’s abstract was titled “Fracture Resistance of Y-TZP Dental Implant Ceramic Abutments.” She is the 2006-2007 Astra Tech Dental Implant Fellow at the School of Dentistry and received both her undergraduate and DDS degrees from the University of Alberta. Her mentor is Dr. Stephen Bayne, chair of the department of cariology, restorative sciences and endodontics at the University of Michigan.

Karamini’s abstract was titled “A Matricellular Hydrogel Enhances Bone Regeneration in Rat Calvarium Critical Size Defects.” She will be the 2007 ITI implant scholar at the School of Dentistry and received her dental school education at the Kings College School of Medicine and Dentistry in London. She completed a residency at the Kings College Hospital in General Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Oral Pathology, Restorative and Removable Prosthodontics, as well as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at Guys Hospital also in London. Her mentor is Dr. Lyndon Cooper, Stallings distinguished professor of dentistry at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Both presented their research findings at the annual session in a judged competition.

“Drs. Adatia and Karamini are to be commended for contributing such important research to the field of prosthodontics,” said Cooper, also director of the UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate Prosthodontics Program. “The Sharry competition is a critical component in encouraging gifted young researchers and scientific discovery within this field.”